Final answer:
Amines are the functional group found least often in simple sugars such as glucose and maltose, as these sugars typically contain alcohol and carbonyl groups. Option a.
Step-by-step explanation:
The functional group found least often in simple sugars like glucose, maltose, etc., is amines. Simple sugars often contain multiple alcohol groups, making them polyols. They also contain a carbonyl group, which is present as an aldehyde group in aldoses like glucose, or as a ketone group in ketoses like fructose. Amines, which are characterized by a nitrogen atom bonded to carbon atoms, are generally not found in simple sugars. Option a.